TANEY

[Puffing.

Hello, Grosvenor.

GROSVENOR

Thank God, you’re here.

TANEY

Only got a minute. Hell’s loose in the
Senate.

GROSVENOR

I’ve been nearly crazy waiting for news.

TANEY

God, man. Perhaps you think I ain’t been
busy rounding up a lot of on-the-fence-men? It
seems to me pretty nearly everybody was on the fence.
No decided opinions at all. But they’re
coming, they’re coming.

GROSVENOR

How ’bout that report about the King over there
wanting peace?

TANEY

That’s what the row’s about. The
highbrows an’ the peace people are shouting
hurrahs all over the place, an’ the rest of us
has to do what we can to drown ’em out.

GROSVENOR

[Restlessly moving about the room.

If it’s true about the King, can you—­work
it—­anyway?

TANEY

How do I know?

GROSVENOR

Got any figures? For or against?

TANEY

Yes. It’s about an even go.

GROSVENOR

[Disappointed.

You can’t give me anything more definite?

TANEY

What’s up, anyway? You look nervous.

GROSVENOR

I am. This business is cutting into my sleep.
My last cent is tied up, and I’ve got a good
many other people’s last cents as well.
Damn it, Taney, this is worse than Monte Carlo.
You’re dealing with cold-blooded chance there,
but here you’re dealing with sentiments, emotions.
It’s exhausting. War is a terrible thing,
Taney. It worries me day and night. Think
of the lives! And yet we need this war, we need
it for the good of the nation. And now that we’re
ready, it would be a calamity if—­